Mestia. Five photos.

N.p., 1930?
5 photos: 32mo (1 photo), oblong 16mo (1 photo), oblong 18mo (1 photo), oblong 32mo (2 photos).

In good condition, light wear to edges, cracks. Photos have owner marks to verso.

This collection features rare photos of Mestia, the principal town in Upper Svaneti, a historical province in Georgia. The town is renowned for its stone defensive towers, known as Svan towers, with many of them dating back to the period between the 9th and 12th centuries. Since 1996, these traditional towers have been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Of particular interest is a photograph capturing a Svan hunter adorned in traditional costume with an ibex head. The Svans, a subgroup of Georgians, have managed to preserve their traditions due to periods of isolation throughout their history. Hunting remains a popular pursuit among Svans to this day.
In 1921, Svans rebelled against the newly established Bolshevik regime in Georgia, but the uprising was quashed, leading to the execution of key rebel leaders. However, it wasn't until 1924 that the Soviet regime was firmly established in the region. During this period, significant developments took place, including the construction of roads, the establishment of an air service, and the growth of industries such as mining and lumbering. These efforts by Soviet authorities aimed to transform the traditional way of life of the Svans. Consequently, propaganda films emerged, such as 'Salt for Svanetia' (1930; directed by Mikhail Kalatozov) and other works depicting Svanetia as an 'underdeveloped region' and its people as 'living in the past'.